Monday, May 2, 2016

Whatever is Lovely, True, Noble...

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever
is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is
admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think of such things.
Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put into
practice. And the God of peace be with you.” Philippians 4:8-9

I believe that when it comes to making decisions about what
we will allow or disallow to come over the threshold of our homes, minds, hearts and souls, this verse is an
unequivocal guide.

So whatever is lovely: is laughter lovely? Yes. Therefore, comedians
can be a lovely entity. But what if they are eliciting laughs from sexual innuendo,
or overt and hurtful mockery? Comedic films can soothe the soul, but they can
also bring us into the gutter, and the fact that we are finding it all funny
doesn’t make it lovely.

We can run the constant flow of thoughts, feelings,
reactions, responses, approaches, intentions and what we expose ourselves and
our families to by the Philippians four verses.

Because what it comes down to is influence and condoning.
And though we might believe we have a very strong filter that will allow us to
participate, unaffected, in all sorts of leisure time activities, view any and
all media content, and talk one way with one group and another with a
different; and while we might engage with ugliness, violence, cheap shots,
vulgarities, shrillness and sexual exploitation through jokes and visual excess
so as not to appear prudish, or because we think it makes us authentic participants
in the "human experience", we are merely justifying these things and offering
them a potential foothold.

Not that we can’t or don’t balance these choices with ones
of beauty, loveliness, purity, etc. But Scripture is clear: we are to focus on and practice these
things listed in Philippians. Scripture is loaded with this general motif.

It doesn’t mean we shun documentaries of hunger and despair:
hunger and despair are true. It doesn’t mean we ignore or turn a blind eye to
the sex trade, which is very ugly, but also very true.

It means we don’t contribute to the problem by supporting an
industry of visual imagery that promotes, even if in a bad light, illicit sex.
It means we understand how tragic drug abuse is simply by reading the newspaper
and listening to friends’ and family’s ordeals with it, without having to watch
Blow and Pulp Fiction.

To justify time and money spent on violent portrayals by
telling ourselves that we are coming to a greater understanding of the dead-end of
drug use is, in my opinion, delusion, and only
adds to the perpetuation and normalizing of drug use.

I mean, has drug use
been reduced with every depiction of self-destruction? Do people, so moved by watching
Scarface, show up to volunteer at
recovery shelters?

And while drug use continues, especially the epidemic of
prescription pain killers, ironically I have never witnessed a time of such
obsession with physical health and what people permit and do not permit to enter their bodies.

Veganism, vegetarianism and organic living are at an all-time high,
and increasing by the hour. People avoid GMO’s like the plague. Parents are
shunning vaccines for their children. Alternative medicine has become
mainstream. People are reading food product labels with a fine-tooth comb and
researching the farms and countries from which their sustenance comes.

And yet. Where is this
same kind of meticulous screening when it comes to what we allow in our viewing, hearing,
speech and doing? Where is the impetus to be just as discerning and boldly
critical when it comes to media, word choice and cultural values and trends?

I ask myself these questions, knowing that I am guilty.

I am currently following a Masterpiece Theater series
which is giving me pause: why am I loyally showing up every Sunday to observe infidelity, illicit sex, heavy drinking, gambling and a father turning his back on his family? This "entertainment" depicts everything I stand against, and to which I certainly do not
want to give a stamp of approval.

So I write this convicted that I have not been focusing on that
which is lovely and noble and right. I am spending time every week doing
the exact opposite. And it’s not enjoyable anymore. It makes me uncomfortable. And
so that’s the end of it.

And that can only be a good thing.

copyright Barb Harwood

“For this very reason, make every effort to add to your
faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and
to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness;” 2 Peter 1:5-6

“Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with
contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil.
May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your
whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.” 1 Thessalonians
5:19-24